BALDWIN, CHARLES CANDEE

BALDWIN, CHARLES CANDEE (2 Dec. 1834-2 Feb. 1895), was a corporate lawyer, circuit judge, and founder of the WESTERN RESERVE HISTORICAL SOCIETY. Born in Middletown, Conn., to Seymour Wesley and Mary (Candee) Baldwin, he and his family moved to Elyria, but returned to Connecticut in 1847. Baldwin graduated from Wesleyan University in 1855 and from Harvard Law School in 1857. That year he moved to Cleveland, was admitted to the Ohio bar, and began working with Samuel B. and F. J. Prentiss, being made an equal partner in 1863. Over the years, he had successive partnerships with all 3 Prentiss brothers.

As a lawyer, Baldwin achieved expertise in corporate law. Despite ill health later in life, in 1884 Baldwin was elected to the first of 3 terms as a judge of the circuit court. Almost all his time was spent hearing appeals with few of his decisions being overturned. Baldwin was civically active. In 1882, he was chiefly responsible for the funds raised to secure a site in Cleveland for Western Reserve College of Hudson. He was also active in the Library Assoc. and from 1875-78 was president of the Cleveland Board of Underwriters. In 1867, with CHAS. WHITTLESEY, Baldwin organized what soon became the Western Reserve Historical Society, serving as secretary for many years and in 1886 succeeding Whittlesey as president, leaving his important cartographic collection to the WRHS. He authored many works on Ohio history and genealogy.

Baldwin married Caroline Prentiss in 1862 and had 4 children, two dying in infancy. The surviving children were Mary Candee (Sawyer) and SAMUEL P. BALDWIN. Baldwin was buried in LAKE VIEW CEMETERY.